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Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where it is the
largest city The United Nations uses three definitions for what constitutes a city, as not all cities in all jurisdictions are classified using the same criteria. Cities may be defined as the cities proper, the extent of their urban area, or their metropo ...
. Peshawar is primarily populated by
Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
, who comprise the second-largest ethnic group in the country. Situated in the Valley of Peshawar, a broad area situated east of the historic Khyber Pass, Peshawar's recorded history dates back to at least 539 BCE, making it one of the oldest cities in South Asia. Peshawer is among the oldest continuously inhabited cities of the country. The area encompassing modern-day Peshawar is mentioned in Vedic scriptures; it served as the capital of the
Kushan Empire The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, i ...
during the rule of Kanishka and was home to the Kanishka Stupa, which was among the tallest buildings in the ancient world. Peshawar was then ruled by the Hephthalites, followed by the
Hindu Shahis The Hindu Shahis (also known as Odi Shahis, Uḍi Śāhis, or Brahman Shahis, 822–1026 CE) were a dynasty that held sway over the Kabul Valley, Gandhara and western Punjab during the early medieval period in the Indian subcontinent. Details r ...
, before the arrival of a variety of
Muslim empires Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the ve ...
. The city was an important trading centre of the Mughal Empire before becoming part of the
Durrani Empire The Durrani Empire ( ps, د درانيانو ټولواکمني; fa, امپراتوری درانیان) or the Afghan Empire ( ps, د افغانان ټولواکمني, label=none; fa, امپراتوری افغان, label=none), also know ...
in 1747, after which it served as the Durrani winter capital from 1776 until the capture of the city by the Sikh Empire in 1823. In 1849, the city was captured by the East India Company and subsequently became part of British Raj, under whose rule it remained until the partition of British India and subsequent independence of Pakistan in 1947.


Etymology

The modern name of the city "Peshawar" is possibly derived from the econstructedSanskrit word "Purushapura" ( ''Puruṣapura'', meaning "City of Men" or “City of Purusha"). It was named so by Mughal Emperor Akbar from its old name ''Parashawar'', the meaning of which Akbar didn't understand. The ruler of the city during its founding may have been a Hindu raja (king) named Purush; the word ''
pur Pur or PUR may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pur (band), a German band * Pur, a song by the Cocteau Twins People * Necla Pur (born 1943), Turkish economist and professor * Quraish Pur (1932–2013), Pakistani scholar, writer, and ...
'' means "city" in Sanskrit. Sanskrit, written in the
Kharosthi The Kharoṣṭhī script, also spelled Kharoshthi (Kharosthi: ), was an ancient Indo-Iranian script used by various Aryan peoples in north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely around present-day northern Pakistan and ...
script, was the literary language employed by the Buddhist kingdoms which ruled over the area during its earliest recorded period. The city's name may also be derived from the Sanskrit name for "City of Flowers," ''Poshapura,'' a name found in an ancient
Kharosthi The Kharoṣṭhī script, also spelled Kharoshthi (Kharosthi: ), was an ancient Indo-Iranian script used by various Aryan peoples in north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely around present-day northern Pakistan and ...
inscription that may refer to Peshawar''.'' Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang's 7th century account of a city in Gandhara called the city ''Po-la-sha-pu-lo'' (
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
: 布路沙布邏, ''bùlùshābùló'')'','' and an earlier 5th century account by
Fa-Hien Faxian (法顯 ; 337 CE – c. 422 CE), also referred to as Fa-Hien, Fa-hsien and Sehi, was a Chinese Buddhist monk and translator who traveled by foot from China to India to acquire Buddhist texts. Starting his arduous journey about age 60, ...
records the city's name as ''Fou-lou-sha'' (
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
: 弗樓沙, ''fùlóshā'')'','' the Chinese equivalent of the Sanskrit name of the city, Purushapura. An ancient inscription from the Shapur era identifies a city in the Gandhara valley by the name ''pskbvr,'' which may be a reference to Peshawar. The Arab historian and geographer Al-Masudi noted that by the mid 10th century, the city was known as ''Parashāwar''. The name was noted to be ''Purshawar'' and ''Purushavar'' by Al-Biruni. The city began to be known as ''Peshāwar'' by the era of Emperor
Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
. The current name is said by some to have been based upon the Persian for "frontier town" or, more literally, "forward city," though transcription errors and linguistic shifts may account for the city's new name. One theory suggests that the city's name is derived from the Persian name "Pesh Awardan", meaning "place of first arrival" or "frontier city," as Peshawar was the first city in the Indian subcontinent after crossing the
Khyber Pass The Khyber Pass (خیبر درہ) is a mountain pass in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, on the border with the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. It connects the town of Landi Kotal to the Valley of Peshawar at Jamrud by traversing pa ...
. Akbar's bibliographer,
Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak, also known as Abul sharma, Abu'l Fadl and Abu'l-Fadl 'Allami (14 January 1551 – 22 August 1602), was the grand vizier of the Mughal emperor Akbar, from his appointment in 1579 until his death in 1602. He was the au ...
, lists the city's name as both ''Parashāwar'', transcribed in Persian as fa, پَرَشَاوَر, label=none, and ''Peshāwar'' ( fa, پشاور, label=none).


History


Ancient history

Peshawar alongside the modern day Ghandara region were found in the Vedic Scripture as Pushkalavati.


Foundation

Peshawar was founded as the city of ''Puruṣapura'', on the Gandhara Plains in the broad Valley of Peshawar in 100 CE. It may have been named after a Hindu raja who ruled the city who was known as Purush. The city likely first existed as a small village in the 5th century BCE, within the cultural sphere of ancient India. Puruṣapura was founded near the ancient
Gandhara Gandhāra is the name of an ancient region located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely in present-day north-west Pakistan and parts of south-east Afghanistan. The region centered around the Peshawar Vall ...
n capital city of Pushkalavati, near present-day Charsadda.


Greek Rule

In the winter of 327–26 BCE, Alexander the Great subdued the Valley of Peshawar during his invasion of the Indus Valley, as well as the nearby
Swat In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...
and Buner valleys. Following Alexander's conquest, the Valley of Peshawar came under the suzerainty of Seleucus I Nicator, founder of the
Seleucid Empire The Seleucid Empire (; grc, Βασιλεία τῶν Σελευκιδῶν, ''Basileía tōn Seleukidōn'') was a Greek state in West Asia that existed during the Hellenistic period from 312 BC to 63 BC. The Seleucid Empire was founded by the ...
. A locally-made vase fragment that was found in Peshawar depicts a scene from Sophocles' play '' Antigone''.


Mauryan empire

Following the Seleucid–Mauryan war, the region was ceded to the
Mauryan Empire The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...
in 303 BCE. Around 300 BCE, the Greek diplomat and historian Megasthenes noted that Purushapura (ancient Peshawar) was the western terminus of a Mauryan road that connected the city to the empire's capital at '' Pataliputra'', near the city of Patna in the modern-day Indian state of Bihar. As Mauryan power declined, the
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom The Bactrian Kingdom, known to historians as the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom or simply Greco-Bactria, was a Hellenistic period, Hellenistic-era Hellenistic Greece, Greek state, and along with the Indo-Greek Kingdom, the easternmost part of the Helleni ...
based in modern Afghanistan declared its independence from the Seleucid Empire, and quickly seized ancient Peshawar around 190 BCE. The city was then captured by
Gondophares Gondophares I (Greek: Γονδοφαρης ''Gondopharēs'', Υνδοφερρης ''Hyndopherrēs''; Kharosthi: 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨥𐨪 ', '; 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨥𐨪𐨿𐨣 ', '; 𐨒𐨂𐨡𐨂𐨵𐨪‎ ', ') was the founder of the Indo-Parthian K ...
, founder of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. Gondophares established the nearby ''
Takht-i-Bahi Takht-i-Bahi (Persian/ ur, , translation=throne of the water spring), is an Indo-Parthian archaeological site of an ancient Buddhist monastery in Mardan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The site is considered among the most important relics of Budd ...
'' monastery in 46 CE.


Kushan empire

In the first century of the Common era, Purushapura came under control of Kujula Kadphises, founder of the
Kushan Empire The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, i ...
. The city was made the empire's winter capital. The Kushan's summer capital at ''Kapisi'' (modern Bagram, Afghanistan was seen as the secondary capital of the empire, while Puruṣapura was considered to be the empire's primary capital. Ancient Peshawar's population was estimated to be 120,000, which would make it the seventh-most populous city in the world at the time. As a devout Buddhist, the emperor built the grand ''Kanishka Mahavihara'' monastery. After his death, the magnificent Kanishka stupa was built in Peshawar to house Buddhist relics. The golden age of Kushan empire in Peshawar ended in 232 CE with the death of the last great Kushan king, Vasudeva I. Around 260 CE, the armies of the
Sasanid The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
Emperor Shapur I launched an attack against Peshawar, and severely damage Buddhist monuments and monasteries throughout the Valley of Peshawar. Shapur's campaign also resulted in damage to the city's monumental stupa and monastery. The Kushans were made subordinate to the Sasanids and their power rapidly dwindled, as the Sasanids blocked lucrative trade routes westward out of the city. Kushan Emperor Kanishka III was able to temporarily reestablish control over the entire Valley of Peshawar after Shapur's invasion, but the city was then captured by the Central Asian
Kidarite kingdom The Kidarites, or Kidara Huns, were a dynasty that ruled Bactria and adjoining parts of Central Asia and South Asia in the 4th and 5th centuries. The Kidarites belonged to a complex of peoples known collectively in India as the Huna people, Huna, ...
in the early 400s CE.


White Huns

The
White Huns The "White Huns", also known as the White Hunas, in Iranian as the ''Spet Xyon'' and in Sanskrit as the ''Sveta-huna'', were a sub-group of the Huna and/or Xionites. The White Huns are sometimes regarded as synonymous with the Hephthalites, but may ...
devastated ancient Peshawar in the 460s CE, and ravaged the entire region of Gandhara, destroying its numerous monasteries. The Kanishka stupa was rebuilt during the White Hun era with the construction of a tall wooden superstructure, built atop a stone base, and crowned with a 13-layer copper-
gilded Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...
'' chatra.'' In the 400s CE, the
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
Buddhist pilgrim '' Faxian'' visited the structure and described it as "the highest of all the towers" in the "terrestrial world", which ancient travelers claimed was up to tall, though modern estimates suggest a height of . In 520 CE the Chinese monk Song Yun visited
Gandhara Gandhāra is the name of an ancient region located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely in present-day north-west Pakistan and parts of south-east Afghanistan. The region centered around the Peshawar Vall ...
and ancient Peshawar during the White Hun era, and noted that it was in conflict with nearby ''Kapisa''. The Chinese monk and traveler Xuanzang visited ancient Peshawar around 630 CE, after ''Kapisa'' victory, and expressed lament that the city and its great Buddhist monuments had decayed to ruin—although some monks studying
Hinayana Buddhism Hīnayāna (, ) is a Sanskrit term literally meaning the "small/deficient vehicle". Classical Chinese and Tibetan teachers translate it as "smaller vehicle". The term is applied collectively to the ''Śrāvakayāna'' and ''Pratyekabuddhayāna'' pa ...
continued to study at the monastery's ruins. Xuanzang estimated that only about 1,000 families continued in a small quarter among the ruins of the former grand capital.


Medieval history

Until the mid 7th century, the residents of ancient Peshawar had a ruling elite of Central Asian Scythian descent, who were then displaced by the Hindu Shahis of Kabul. Islam is believed to have been first introduced to the Buddhist,
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
and other indigenous inhabitants of Puruṣapura in the later 7th century. As the first Pashtun tribe to settle the region, the Dilazak Pashtuns began settling in the Valley of Peshawar,"Taareekh-e-Hazara" (Urdu) by Dr. Sher Bahadur Khan Panni_first edition_1969 p 295-313,"Taareekh-e-Wadi-e-Chhachh and Aqwaam-e-Chhachh" (Urdu) by Manzoor Awan p 175-182, "Afghanistan and its inhabitants" translation of Muhammad Hayat Khan's book by Henry B Priestley_1874 (reproduced by Sang-e-Meel Publications_Pakistan_1981) p-55/56, p- 197/198, "Da Pasto Qabeelo Shajre o Mene" (Pashto) by Muhammad Umar Rond Miakhel_2001 p 346-347 and are believed to have settled regions up to the
Indus River The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans-Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in Western Tibet, flows northwest through the disputed region of Kashmir, ...
by the 11th century. The Arab historian and geographer Al-Masudi noted that by the mid 10th century, the city had become known as ''Parashāwar''.


Ghaznavid empire

In 986–87 CE, Peshawar's first encounter with Muslim armies occurred when Sabuktigin invaded the area and fought the Hindu Shahis under their king, Anandpal. On 28 November 1001, Sabuktigin's son
Mahmud Ghazni Yamīn-ud-Dawla Abul-Qāṣim Maḥmūd ibn Sebüktegīn ( fa, ; 2 November 971 – 30 April 1030), usually known as Mahmud of Ghazni or Mahmud Ghaznavi ( fa, ), was the founder of the Turkic Ghaznavid dynasty, ruling from 998 to 1030. At th ...
decisively defeated the army of Raja Jayapala, son of Anandpal, at the Battle of Peshawar, and established rule of the
Ghaznavid Empire The Ghaznavid dynasty ( fa, غزنویان ''Ġaznaviyān'') was a culturally Persianate society, Persianate, Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turkic peoples, Turkic ''mamluk'' origin, ruling, at its greatest extent, large parts of Persia, ...
in the Peshawar region. During the Ghaznavid era, Peshawar served as an important stop between the Afghan plateau, and the Ghaznavid garrison city of Lahore. During the 10th–12th century, Peshawar served as a headquarters for Hindu Nath Panthi Yogis, who in turn are believed to have extensively interacted with Muslim Sufi mystics.


Delhi sultanate

In 1179–80, Muhammad Ghori captured Peshawar, though the city was then destroyed in the early 1200s at the hands of the Mongols. Peshawar was an important regional centre under the Lodi dynasty of
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate was an Islamic empire based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526).
. The Ghoryakhel Pashtuns Khalil, Muhmands, Daudzai, Chamkani tribes and some Khashi ''Khel''
Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
, ancestors of modern-day Yusufzai and
Gigyani Gigyani is a tribe of Pakhtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and ...
Pashtuns, began settling rural regions around Peshawar in the late 15th and 16th centuries."The Kingdom of Afghanistan – A Historical Sketch" by G.P.Tate (1911), Reproduced by 'Indus Publications' (1973) Page 12 (Foot Note) The Ghoryakhel and Khashi ''Khel'' tribe pushed the Dilazak Pashtun tribes east of the Indus River following a battle in 1515 near the city of Mardan.


Early modern history


Mughal empire

Peshawar remained an important centre on trade routes between India and Central Asia. The Peshawar region was a cosmopolitan region in which goods, peoples, and ideas would pass along trade routes. Its importance as a trade centre is highlighted by the destruction of over one thousand camel-loads of merchandise following an accidental fire at Bala Hissar fort in 1586. Mughal rule in the area was tenuous, as Mughal suzerainty was only firmly exercised in the Peshawar valley, while the neighbouring valley of Swat was under Mughal rule only during the reign of
Akbar Abu'l-Fath Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar (25 October 1542 – 27 October 1605), popularly known as Akbar the Great ( fa, ), and also as Akbar I (), was the third Mughal emperor, who reigned from 1556 to 1605. Akbar succeeded his father, Hum ...
. In July 1526, Emperor
Babur Babur ( fa, , lit= tiger, translit= Bābur; ; 14 February 148326 December 1530), born Mīrzā Zahīr ud-Dīn Muhammad, was the founder of the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent. He was a descendant of Timur and Genghis Khan through his ...
captured Peshawar from Daulat Khan Lodi. During Babur's rule, the city was known as ''Begram'', and he rebuilt the city's fort. Babur used the city as a base for expeditions to other nearby towns in Pashtunistan. Under the reign of Babur's son, Humayun, direct Mughal rule over the city was briefly challenged with the rise of the Pashtun king, Sher Shah Suri, who began construction of the famous Grand Trunk Road in the 16th century. Peshawar was an important trading centre on Sher Shah Suri's Grand Trunk Road. During Akbar's rule, the name of the city changed from ''Begram'' to ''Peshawar''. In 1586, Pashtuns rose against Mughal rule during the Roshani Revolt under the leadership of Bayazid Pir Roshan, founder of the egalitarian
Roshani movement The Rōshānī movement ( ps, روښاني غورځنګ, "the enlightened movement") was a populist, nonsectarian Sufi movement that was founded in the mid-16th century and arose among Afghan tribes. The movement was founded by the Afghan or Pash ...
, who assembled Pashtun armies in an attempted rebellion against the Mughals. The Roshani followers laid siege to the city until 1587. Peshawar was bestowed with its own set of ''Shalimar Gardens'' during the reign of
Shah Jahan Shihab-ud-Din Muhammad Khurram (5 January 1592 – 22 January 1666), better known by his regnal name Shah Jahan I (; ), was the fifth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from January 1628 until July 1658. Under his emperorship, the Mugha ...
, which no longer exist. Emperor
Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
's Governor of Kabul, Mohabbat Khan bin Ali Mardan Khan used Peshawar as his winter capital during the 17th century, and bestowed the city with its famous
Mohabbat Khan Mosque The Mahabat Khan Mosque (Pashto and ur, مہابت خان مسجد) ( hnd, مہابت خان مسیت), sometimes spelt Mohabbat Khan Mosque, is a 17th-century Mughal-era mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. The mosque was built in 1630, and named aft ...
in 1630. Yusufzai tribes rose against Mughal rule during the Yusufzai Revolt of 1667, and engaged in pitched-battles with Mughal battalions nearby Attock. Afridi tribes resisted Mughal rule during the Afridi Revolt of the 1670s. The Afridis massacred a Mughal battalion in the nearby
Khyber Pass The Khyber Pass (خیبر درہ) is a mountain pass in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, on the border with the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. It connects the town of Landi Kotal to the Valley of Peshawar at Jamrud by traversing pa ...
in 1672 and shut the pass to lucrative trade routes. Mughal armies led by Emperor
Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
himself regained control of the entire area in 1674. Following Aurangzeb's death in 1707, his son Bahadur Shah I, former Governor of Peshawar and Kabul, was selected to be the Mughal Emperor. As Mughal power declined following the death of Emperor Aurangzeb, the empire's defenses were weakened. On 18 November 1738, Peshawar was captured from the Mughal governor Nawab Nasir Khan by the
Afsharid Afsharid Iran ( fa, ایران افشاری), also referred as the Afsharid Empire was an Iranian empire established by the Turkoman Afshar tribe in Iran's north-eastern province of Khorasan, ruling Iran (Persia). The state was ruled by the ...
armies during the Persian invasion of the Mughal Empire under
Nader Shah Nader Shah Afshar ( fa, نادر شاه افشار; also known as ''Nader Qoli Beyg'' or ''Tahmāsp Qoli Khan'' ) (August 1688 – 19 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian h ...
.


Durrani empire

In 1747, Peshawar was taken by
Ahmad Shah Durrani Ahmad Shāh Durrānī ( ps, احمد شاه دراني; prs, احمد شاه درانی), also known as Ahmad Shāh Abdālī (), was the founder of the Durrani Empire and is regarded as the founder of the modern Afghanistan. In July 1747, Ahm ...
, founder of the Afghan
Durrani Empire The Durrani Empire ( ps, د درانيانو ټولواکمني; fa, امپراتوری درانیان) or the Afghan Empire ( ps, د افغانان ټولواکمني, label=none; fa, امپراتوری افغان, label=none), also know ...
. Under the reign of his son
Timur Shah Timur Shah Durrani (; prs, ;), also known as Timur Shah Abdali or Taimur Shah Abdali (December 1746 – May 20, 1793) was the second ruler of the Afghan Durrani Empire, from November 1772 until his death in 1793. An ethnic Pashtun, he was the ...
, the Mughal practice of using Kabul as a summer capital and Peshawar as a winter capital was reintroduced, with the practice maintained until the
Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
invasion.Caroe, Olaf (1957) The Pathans. Peshawar's Bala Hissar Fort served as the residence of Afghan kings during their winter stay in Peshawar, and it was noted to be the main centre of trade between
Bukhara Bukhara (Uzbek language, Uzbek: /, ; tg, Бухоро, ) is the List of cities in Uzbekistan, seventh-largest city in Uzbekistan, with a population of 280,187 , and the capital of Bukhara Region. People have inhabited the region around Bukhara ...
and India by British explorer William Moorcroft during the late 1700s. Peshawar was at the centre of a productive agricultural region that provided much of north India's dried fruit. Timur Shah's grandson, Mahmud Shah Durrani, became king, and quickly seized Peshawar from his half-brother, Shah Shujah Durrani. Shah Shujah was then himself proclaimed king in 1803, and recaptured Peshawar while Mahmud Shah was imprisoned at Bala Hissar fort until his eventual escape. In 1809, the British sent an emissary to the court of Shah Shujah in Peshawar, marking the first diplomatic meeting between the British and Afghans. His half-brother Mahmud Shah then allied himself with the ''Barakzai'' Pashtuns, and captured Peshawar once again and reigned until the Battle of Nowshera in March 1823.


Maratha Empire

The Capture of Peshawar took place in spring of 1758https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/Chhatrapati_Shivaji/ngCqCQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22Battle+of+Peshawar%22+1758&pg=PP1&printsec=frontcover Page 37 when Maratha Empire in alliance with the
Sikhs Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism (Sikhi), a monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ...
, defeated the
Durrani Empire The Durrani Empire ( ps, د درانيانو ټولواکمني; fa, امپراتوری درانیان) or the Afghan Empire ( ps, د افغانان ټولواکمني, label=none; fa, امپراتوری افغان, label=none), also know ...
. The Marathas and the Sikhs were victorious in battle and Peshawar was captured thereafter. "The province of Multan and northwest frontier were also overrun by Marathas and the forts of Peshawar and Attock were garrisoned by their troops" Before that, the fort of Peshawar was being guarded by Durrani troops under Timur Shah Durrani and Jahan Khan. When
Raghunathrao Raghunathrao Bhat (a.k.a. Ragho Ballal or Ragho Bharari) (18 August 1734 – 11 December 1783) was the 11th Peshwa of the Maratha Empire for a brief period from 1773 to 1774. He was known among the Hindus for his extremely successful North-west ...
, Malhar Rao Holkar and Sikh alliance of Charat Singh and Jassa Singh Ahluwalia left Peshawar, Tukoji Rao Holkar was appointed as the representative in this area of the sub-continent. Tukoji Rao Holkar along with Sardar Santajirao Wable and Khandoji Kadam defeated the Afghan garrison.Third Battle of Panipat by Abhas Verma Bharatiya Kala Prakashan Peshawar was captured on 8 May 1758 by the Maratha Empire, in alliance with the Sikhs, from the
Durrani Empire The Durrani Empire ( ps, د درانيانو ټولواکمني; fa, امپراتوری درانیان) or the Afghan Empire ( ps, د افغانان ټولواکمني, label=none; fa, امپراتوری افغان, label=none), also know ...
. The Marathas and Sikhs were victorious in the campaign in the province and Peshawar was captured. After being defeated by the army of Marathas and Sikhs, Durranis with Jahan Khan and Timur Shah Durrani left the fort and fled to Afghanistan meanwhile Marathas captured and took control of the fort.War, Culture and Society in Early Modern South Asia, 1740-1849
/ref> The Marathas' victory extended their rule to the Afghan border, about 2000 km from Pune.


Sikh empire

Ranjit Singh Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He s ...
invaded Peshawar in 1818 but handed its rule to Peshawar Sardars as vassals. Following the Sikh victory against Azim Khan at the Battle of Nowshera in March 1823, Ranjit Singh captured Peshawar again and reinstated Yar Mohammed as the governor. By 1830, Peshawar's economy was noted by Scottish explorer
Alexander Burnes Captain Sir Alexander Burnes (16 May 1805 – 2 November 1841) was a Scottish explorer, military officer, and diplomat associated with the Great Game. He was nicknamed Bokhara Burnes for his role in establishing contact with and expl ...
to have sharply declined, with Ranjit Singh's forces having destroyed the city's palace and agricultural fields. Much of Peshawar's caravan trade from Kabul ceased on account of skirmishes between Afghan and Sikh forces, as well as a punitive tax levied on merchants by Ranjit Singh's forces. Singh's government also required Peshawar to forfeit much of its leftover agricultural output to the Sikhs as tribute, while agriculture was further decimated by a collapse of the dried fruit market in north India. Singh appointed Neapolitan mercenary Paolo Avitabile as administrator of Peshawar, who is remembered for having unleashed a reign of terror. His time in Peshawar is known as a time of "gallows and gibbets". The city's famous Mahabat Khan, built in 1630 in the Jeweler's Bazaar, was badly damaged and desecrated by the Sikh conquerors. The Sikh Empire formally annexed Peshawar in 1834 following advances from the armies of Hari Singh Nalwa—bringing the city under direct control of the Sikh Empire's ''Lahore Durbar''. An 1835 attempt by
Dost Muhammad Khan Dost Mohammad Khan Barakzai (Pashto/Persian: ; 23 December 17929 June 1863), nicknamed the Amir-i Kabir, Also titled Amir al-Mu'minin, was a member of the Barakzai dynasty and one of the prominent rulers of the Emirate of Afghanistan. His 37-year ...
to re-occupy the city failed when his army refused to engage in combat with the Dal Khalsa. Sikh settlers from Punjab were settled in the city during Sikh rule. The city's only remaining Gurdwaras were built by Hari Singh Nalwa to accommodate the newly-settle Sikhs. The Sikhs also rebuilt the Bala Hissar fort during their occupation of the city.


British Raj

Following the defeat of the Sikhs in the First Anglo-Sikh War in 1845-46 and the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, some of their territories were captured by the British East India Company. The British re-established stability in the wake of ruinous Sikh rule. During the
Sepoy Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...
, the 4,000 members of the native garrison were disarmed without bloodshed; the absence of conflict during the rebellion meant that Peshawar was not affected by the widespread devastation that was experienced throughout the rest of British India and local chieftains sided with the British after the incident. The British laid out the vast Peshawar Cantonment to the west of the city in 1868, and made the city its frontier headquarters.Schofield, Victoria, "Afghan Frontier: Feuding and Fighting in Central Asia", London: Tauris Parke Paperbacks (2003), page 47 Additionally, several projects were initiated in Peshawar, including linkage of the city by railway to the rest of British India and renovation of the Mohabbat Khan mosque that had been desecrated by the Sikhs. British suzerainty over regions west of Peshawar was cemented in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand, foreign secretary of the British Indian government, who collaboratively demarcated the border between British controlled territories in India and Afghanistan. The British built
Cunningham clock tower The Cunningham Clock Tower ( ur, کننگہام گھنٹہ گھر) in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, was built in 1900, "in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen Empress". The tower was named after Sir George Cu ...
in celebration of the
Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria The Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria was celebrated on 20 and 21 June 1887 to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Victoria's accession on 20 June 1837. It was celebrated with a Thanksgiving Service at Westminster Abbey, and a banquet to which ...
, and in 1906 built the Victoria Hall (now home of the
Peshawar Museum The Peshawar Museum ( ur, پشاور میوزیم ''(colloquial)''; پشاور عجائب گھر ''(official)'') is a museum located in Peshawar, capital of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Peshawar Museum is notable for its colle ...
) in memory of Queen Victoria. The British introduced Western-style education into Peshawar with the establishment of
Edwardes College Edwardes College Peshawar is a semi-government degree The college's undergraduate and graduate degree programs lead to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), 4 year BS Programme in English and Computer Science, Master of Bus ...
and
Islamia College ''Islamia'' is a genus of small freshwater snails with a gill and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Hydrobiidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Islamia Radoman, 1973. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Spe ...
in 1901 and 1913, along with several schools run by the Anglican Church. For better administration of the region, Peshawar and the adjoining districts were separated from the Punjab Province in 1901, after which Peshawar became capital of the new province. Peshawar emerged as a centre for both
Hindko Hindko (, romanized: , ) is a cover term for a diverse group of Lahnda dialects spoken by several million people of various ethnic backgrounds in several areas in northwestern Pakistan, primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pun ...
and Pashtun intellectuals during the British era. Hindko speakers, also referred to as ''xāryān'' ("city dwellers" in Pashto), were responsible for the dominant culture for most of the time that Peshawar was under British rule. Peshawar was also home to a non-violent resistance movement led by
Ghaffar Khan Abdul Ghaffār Khān (; 6 February 1890 – 20 January 1988), also known as Bacha Khan () or Badshah Khan (), and honourably addressed as Fakhr-e-Afghan (), was a Pakistani Pashtun, independence activist, and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar ...
, a disciple of Mahatma Gandhi. In April 1930, Khan, leading a large group of his followers, protested in Qissa Khwani Bazaar against discriminatory laws that had been enacted by the colonial government; hundreds were killed when a detachment of the
British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...
opened fire on the demonstrators.


Modern era

In 1947, Peshawar became part of the newly created state of Pakistan, and emerged as a cultural centre in the country's northwest. The
partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
saw the departure of many Hindko-speaking Hindus and Sikhs who held key positions in the economy of Peshawar. The
University of Peshawar The University of Peshawar ( ps, د پېښور پوهنتون; hnd, پشور یونیورسٹی; ur, ; abbreviated UoP; known more popularly as Peshawar University) is a Public university, public research university located in Peshawar, Khy ...
was established in the city in 1950, and augmented by the amalgamation of nearby British-era institutions into the university. Until the mid-1950s, Peshawar was enclosed within a city wall and sixteen gates. In the 1960s, Peshawar was a base for a
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
operation to spy on the Soviet Union, with the
1960 U-2 incident On 1 May 1960, a United States U-2 spy plane was shot down by the Soviet Air Defence Forces while conducting photographic aerial reconnaissance deep inside Soviet territory. The single-seat aircraft, flown by American pilot Francis Gary Power ...
resulting in an aircraft shot down by the Soviets that flew from Peshawar. From the 1960s until the late 1970s, Peshawar was a major stop on the famous Hippie trail. During the Soviet–Afghan War in the 1980s, Peshawar served as a political centre for the
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian intelligence agency, foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gat ...
and the Inter-Services Intelligence-trained
mujahideen ''Mujahideen'', or ''Mujahidin'' ( ar, مُجَاهِدِين, mujāhidīn), is the plural form of ''mujahid'' ( ar, مجاهد, mujāhid, strugglers or strivers or justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc. doers of jihād), an Arabic term th ...
groups based in the camps of
Afghan refugees Afghan refugees are citizens of Afghanistan who were compelled to abandon their country as a result of major wars, persecution, torture or genocide. The 1978 Saur Revolution followed by the 1979 Soviet invasion marked the first wave of inter ...
. It also served as the primary destination for large numbers of Afghan refugees. By 1980, 100,000 refugees a month were entering the province, with 25% of all refugees living in Peshawar district in 1981. The arrival of large numbers of Afghan refugees strained Peshawar's infrastructure, and drastically altered the city's demography. Like much of northwest Pakistan, Peshawar has been severely affected by violence from the attacks by the terrorist group,
Tehrik-i-Taliban The Pakistani Taliban (), formally called the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (Urdu/ ps, , lit=Student Movement of Pakistan, TTP), is an umbrella organization of various Islamist armed militant groups operating along the Afghan–Pakistani bor ...
. Local poets' shrines have been targeted by the Pakistani Taliban, a
suicide bomb A suicide attack is any violent attack, usually entailing the attacker detonating an explosive, where the attacker has accepted their own death as a direct result of the attacking method used. Suicide attacks have occurred throughout histor ...
attack Attack may refer to: Warfare and combat * Offensive (military) * Charge (warfare) * Attack (fencing) * Strike (attack) * Attack (computing) * Attack aircraft Books and publishing * ''The Attack'' (novel), a book * '' Attack No. 1'', comic an ...
targeted the historic
All Saints Church All Saints Church, or All Saints' Church or variations on the name may refer to: Albania *All Saints' Church, Himarë Australia * All Saints Church, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory * All Saints Anglican Church, Henley Brook, Western Aust ...
in 2013, and most notably the
2014 Peshawar school massacre On 16 December 2014, six gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar. The militants, all of whom were foreign nationals, compri ...
in which Taliban militants killed 132 school children. Peshawar suffered 111 acts of
terror Terror(s) or The Terror may refer to: Politics * Reign of Terror, commonly known as The Terror, a period of violence (1793–1794) after the onset of the French Revolution * Terror (politics), a policy of political repression and violence Emoti ...
in 2010, which had declined to 18 in 2014, before the launch of
Operation Zarb-e-Azb Operation Zarb-e-Azb (Pashto/ ur, ALA-LC: ) was a joint military offensive conducted by the Pakistan Armed Forces against various militant groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Eas ...
, which further reduced acts of violence throughout Pakistan. More civilians died in acts of violence in 2014 compared to 2010 – largely a result of the Peshawar school massacre. A large attack on a Shiite mosque in the city killed dozens and injured 200 people.


Geography


Topography

Peshawar is located in the broad Valley of Peshawar, which is surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides, with the fourth opening to the Punjab plains. The city is located in the generally level base of the valley, known as the Gandhara Plains.


Climate

With an influence from the local steppe climate, Peshawar features a
hot semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
( Köppen ''BSh''), with very hot, prolonged summers and brief, mild to cool winters. Winter in Peshawar starts in November and ends in late March, though it sometimes extends into mid-April, while the summer months are from mid-May to mid-September. The mean maximum summer temperature surpasses during the hottest month, and the mean minimum temperature is . The mean minimum temperature during the coolest month is , while the maximum is . Peshawar is not a monsoon region, unlike other parts of Pakistan; however, rainfall occurs in both winter and summer. Due to western disturbances, the winter rainfall shows a higher record between the months of February and April. The highest amount of winter rainfall, measuring , was recorded in February 2007, while the highest summer rainfall of was recorded in July 2010; during this month, a record-breaking rainfall level of fell within a 24-hour period on 29 July 2010—the previous record was of rain, recorded in April 2009. The average winter rainfall levels are higher than those of summer. Based on a 30-year record, the average annual precipitation level was recorded as and the highest annual rainfall level of was recorded in 2003. Wind speeds vary during the year, from in December to in June. The relative humidity varies from 46% in June to 76% in August. The highest temperature of was recorded on 18 June 1995, while the lowest occurred on 7 January 1970.


Cityscape

Peshawer's urban typology is similar to other ancient cities in South Asia, such as Lahore, Multan and Delhi - all of which were founded near a major river, and included an old walled city, as well as a royal citadel. Historically, the old city of Peshawar was a heavily guarded citadel that consisted of high walls. In the 21st century, only remnants of the walls remain, but the houses and havelis continue to be structures of significance. Most of the houses are constructed of unbaked bricks, with the incorporation of wooden structures for protection against earthquakes, with many composed of wooden doors and latticed wooden balconies. Numerous examples of the city's old architecture can still be seen in areas such as Sethi Mohallah. In the old city, located in inner-Peshawar, many historic monuments and bazaars exist in the 21st century, including the Mohabbat Khan Mosque,
Kotla Mohsin Khan Kotla Mohsin Khan ( ps, کوټلا محسن خان, Hindko; ur, ) is a historic gate located on Kohat Road in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is ...
,
Chowk Yadgar Chowk Yadgar ( ur, ; ''“Memorial Square”''), formerly Hasting’s Memorial, is a famous landmark in the old walled city of Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a p ...
and the Qissa Khawani Bazaar. Due to the damage caused by rapid growth and development, the old walled city has been identified as an area that urgently requires restoration and protection. The walled city was surrounded by several main gates that served as the main entry points into the city — in January 2012, an announcement was made that the government plans to address the damage that has left the gates largely non-existent over time, with all of the gates targeted for restoration.


Demographics


Population

The population of Peshawar district in 1998 was 2,026,851. The city's annual growth rate is estimated at 3.29% per year, and the 2016 population of Peshawar district is estimated to be 3,405,414. With a population of 1,970,042 according to the 2017 census, Peshawar is the sixth-largest city of Pakistan. and the largest city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a population five times higher than the second-largest city in the province.


Language

The primary native languages spoken in Peshawar are Pashto and
Hindko Hindko (, romanized: , ) is a cover term for a diverse group of Lahnda dialects spoken by several million people of various ethnic backgrounds in several areas in northwestern Pakistan, primarily in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pun ...
, though English is used in the city's educational institutions, while Urdu is understood throughout the city. The district of Peshawar is overwhelmingly Pashto-speaking, though the Hindko-speaking minority is concentrated in Peshawar's old city, Hindko speakers in Peshawar increasingly assimilate elements of Pashto and Urdu into their speech.


Religion

Peshawar is overwhelmingly Muslim, with Muslims making up 98.5% of the city's population in the 1998 census. Christians make up the second largest religious group with around 20,000 adherents, while over 7,000 members of the
Ahmadiyya Community Ahmadiyya (, ), officially the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community or the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at (AMJ, ar, الجماعة الإسلامية الأحمدية, al-Jamāʿah al-Islāmīyah al-Aḥmadīyah; ur, , translit=Jamā'at Aḥmadiyyah Musl ...
live in Peshawar.
Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
s and
Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
s are also found in the city − though most of the city's Hindu and Sikh community migrated ''en masse'' to India following the Partition of British India in 1947. Though the city's Sikh population drastically declined after Partition, the Sikh community has been bolstered in Peshawar by the arrival of approximately 4,000 Sikh refugees from conflict in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas; In 2008, the largest Sikh population in Pakistan was located in Peshawar. Sikhs in Peshawar self-identify as Pashtuns and speak Pashto as their mother tongue. There was a small, but, thriving Jewish community until the late 1940s. After the partition and the emergence of the
State of Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, Jews left for Israel.


Afghan refugees

Peshawar has hosted Afghan refugees since the start of the
Afghan civil war War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) *Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see als ...
in 1978, though the rate of migration drastically increased following the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
in 1979. By 1980, 100,000 refugees a month were entering the province, with 25% of all refugees living in Peshawar district in 1981. The arrival of large numbers of Afghan refugees strained Peshawar's infrastructure, and drastically altered the city's demography. During the 1988 national elections, an estimated 100,000 Afghans refugees were illegally registered to vote in Peshawar. With the influx of Afghan refugees into Peshawar, the city became a hub for Afghan musicians and artists, as well as a major centre of
Pashto literature Pashto literature ( ps, ) refers to literature and poetry in Pashto language. The history of Pashto literature spreads over five thousands years having its roots in the oral tradition of tapa. However, the first recorded period begins in 7th cen ...
. Some Afghan refugees have established successful businesses in Peshawar, and play an important role in the city's economy. In recent years, Peshawar district hosts up to 20% of all Afghan refugees in Pakistan. In 2005, Peshawar district was home to 611,501 Afghan refugees — who constituted 19.7% of the district's total population. Peshawar's immediate environs were home to large Afghan refugee camps, with Jalozai camp hosting up to 300,000 refugees in 2001 – making it the largest refugee camp in Asia at the time. Afghan refugees began to be frequently accused of involvement with terrorist attacks that occurred during Pakistan's war against radical Islamists. By 2015 the Pakistani government adopted a policy to repatriate Afghan refugees, including many who had spent their entire life in Pakistan. The policy of repatriation was also encouraged by the government of Afghanistan, though many refugees had not registered themselves in Pakistan. Unregistered refugees returning to Afghanistan without their old Afghan identification documents now have no official status in Afghanistan either.


Economy

Peshawar's economic importance has historically been linked to its privileged position at the entrance to the
Khyber Pass The Khyber Pass (خیبر درہ) is a mountain pass in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, on the border with the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. It connects the town of Landi Kotal to the Valley of Peshawar at Jamrud by traversing pa ...
– the ancient travel route by which most trade between Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent passed. Peshawar's economy also benefited from tourism in the mid-20th century, as the city formed a crucial part of the Hippie trail. Peshawar's estimated monthly per capita income was ₨55,246 in 2015, compared to ₨117,924 in Islamabad, and ₨66,359 in Karachi. Peshawar's surrounding region is also relatively poor − Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's cities on average have an urban per capita income that is 20% less than Pakistan's national average for urban residents. Peshawar was noted by the World Bank in 2014 to be at the helm of a nationwide movement to create an ecosystem for entrepreneurship, freelance jobs, and technology. The city has been host to the World Bank assiste
Digital Youth Summit
— an annual event to connect the city and province's youths to opportunities in the
digital economy The digital economy is a portmanteau of digital computing and economy, and is an umbrella term that describes how traditional Brick and mortar, brick-and-mortar economic activities (production, distribution, trade) are being transformed by Interne ...
. The 2017 event hosted 100 speakers including several international speakers, and approximately 3,000 delegates in attendance.


Industry

Peshawar's Industrial Estate on Jamrud Road is an industrial zone established in the 1960s on 868 acres. The industrial estate hosts furniture, marble industries, and food processing industries, though many of its plots remain underutilized. The Hayatabad Industrial Estate hosts 646 industrial units in Peshawar's western suburbs, though several of the units are no longer in use. As part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, 4 special economic zones are to be established in the province, with roads, electricity, gas, water, and security to be provided by the government. The nearby Hattar SEZ is envisioned to provide employment to 30,000 people, and is being developed at a cost of approximately $200 million with completion expected in 2017.


Employment

As a result of large numbers of displaced persons in the city, only 12% of Peshawar's residents were employed in the formalized economy in 2012. Approximately 41% of residents in 2012 were employed in personal services, while 55% of Afghan refugees in the city in 2012 were daily wage earners. By 2016, Pakistan adopted a policy to repatriate Afghan refugees. Wages for unskilled workers in Peshawar grew on average 9.1% per year between 2002 and 2008. Following the outbreak of widespread Islamist violence in 2007, wages rose only 1.5% between 2008 and 2014. Real wages dropped for some skilled craftsmen during the period between 2008 and 2014.


Constraints

Peshawar's economy has been negatively impacted by political instability since 1979 resulting from the War in Afghanistan and subsequent strain on Peshawar's infrastructure from the influx of refugees. The poor security environment resulting from Islamist violence also impacted the city's economy. With the launch of
Operation Zarb-e-Azb Operation Zarb-e-Azb (Pashto/ ur, ALA-LC: ) was a joint military offensive conducted by the Pakistan Armed Forces against various militant groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Eas ...
in 2014, the country's security environment has drastically improved. The metropolitan economy suffers from poor infrastructure. The city's economy has also been adversely impacted by shortages of electricity and natural gas. The $54 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor will generate over 10,000 MW by 2018 – greater than the current electricity deficit of approximately 4,500 MW. Peshawar will also be linked to ports in Karachi by uninterrupted motorway access, while passenger and freight railway tracks will be upgraded between Peshawar and Karachi. Poor transportation is estimated to cause a loss of 4–6% of the Pakistani GDP. Peshawar for decades has suffered from chaotic, mismanaged, and inadequate public transportation and the poor public transportation also has been detrimental to the city's economy. Therefore, the government has since a new rapid bus service called BRT Peshawar covering the entire Peshawar.


Transportation


Road

Peshawar's east–west growth axis is centred on the historic Grand Trunk Road that connects Peshawar to Islamabad and Lahore. The road is roughly paralleled by the M-1 Motorway between Peshawar and Islamabad, while the M-2 Motorway provides an alternate route to Lahore from Islamabad. The Grand Trunk Road also provides access to the Afghan border via the
Khyber Pass The Khyber Pass (خیبر درہ) is a mountain pass in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, on the border with the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. It connects the town of Landi Kotal to the Valley of Peshawar at Jamrud by traversing pa ...
, with onwards connections to Kabul and Central Asia via the Salang Pass. Peshawar is to be completely encircled by the
Peshawar Ring Road Peshawar Ring Road ( ur, , ps, د پېښور حلقوي سړک, also known officially as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highway 13) is a orbital highway located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. Route The ring road serves as a bypass ...
in order to divert traffic away from the city's congested centre. The road is currently under construction, with some portions open to traffic. The Karakoram Highway provides access between the Peshawar region and western China, and an alternate route to Central Asia via
Kashgar Kashgar ( ug, قەشقەر, Qeshqer) or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is an oasis city in the Tarim Basin region of Southern Xinjiang. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, near the border with Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Pakistan ...
in the Chinese region of Xinjiang. The
Indus Highway The Indus Highway ( ur, ), also known as National Highway 55 (N-55) ( ur, ), is a 1264 km long two to four-lane national highway that runs along the Indus River in Pakistan connecting the port city of Karachi with the northwestern city ...
provides access to points south of Peshawar, with a terminus in the southern port city of Karachi via Dera Ismail Khan and northern
Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
. The Kohat Tunnel south of Peshawar provides access to the city of Kohat along the Indus Highway.


Motorways

Peshawar is connected to Islamabad and
Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan's ...
by the 155 kilometre long M-1 Motorway. The motorway also links Peshawar to major cities in the province, such as Charsadda and Mardan. The M-1 motorway continues onwards to Lahore as part of the M-2 motorway. Pakistan's motorway network links Peshawar to Faisalabad by the M-4 Motorway, while a new motorway network to Karachi is being built as part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Hazara Motorway is being constructed as part of CPEC, and is providing control-access motorway travel all the way to Mansehra and Thakot via the M-1 and Hazara Motorways.


Rail

Peshawar Cantonment railway station serves as the terminus for Pakistan's -long Main Line-1 railway that connects the city to the port city of Karachi and passes through the Peshawar City railway station. The Peshawar to Karachi route is served by the ''
Awam Express ''Awam Express'' ( ur, ) is a passenger train operated daily by Pakistan Railways between Karachi and Peshawar. It is one of the longest continuous running passenger trains in Pakistan. The trip takes approximately 33 hours and 30 minutes to c ...
'', ''
Khushhal Khan Khattak Express ''Khushhal Khan Khattak Express'' ( ur, ) is a passenger train operated daily by Pakistan Railways between Karachi and Peshawar. The trip takes approximately 34 hours and 15 minutes to cover a published distance of , traveling along a stretch ...
'', and the '' Khyber Mail'' services. The entire Main Line-1 railway track between Karachi and Peshawar is to be overhauled at a cost of $3.65 billion for the first phase of the project, with completion by 2021. Upgrading the railway line will permit train travel at speeds of 160 kilometres per hour, versus the average speed currently possible on existing tracks. Peshawar was also once the terminus of the '' Khyber Train Safari'', a tourist-oriented train that provided rail access to Landi Kotal. The service was discontinued as the security situation west of Peshawar deteriorated with the beginning of the region's Taliban insurgency.


Air

Peshawar is served by the Bacha Khan International Airport, located in the Peshawar Cantonment. The airport served 1,255,303 passengers between 2014 and 2015,Statistical Information of CAA Pakistan
CAA Pakistan Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) ( ur, ) is a state-owned autonomous body under the administrative control of the Secretary to the Government of Pakistan for Aviation, which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Paki ...
, updated on 14 March 2016
the vast majority of whom were international travelers. The airport offers direct flights throughout Pakistan, as well as to Bahrain, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.


Public transit

BRT Peshawar is a modern & 3rd generation rapid bus service of Peshawar, which has started its service on 13 August 2020. It has 32 stations and 220 buses, which covers area from Chamkani to
Karkhano Market Karkhano ( ps, کارخانو) is a market area located on the western side of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, near the Khyber Tribal District, which in turn borders Afghanistan. The market was established in 1985 has more than 4,500 shops ...
. BRT Peshawar has replaced Peshawar's old, chaotic, dilapidated, and inadequate transportation system. The system has 32 stations and is mostly at grade, with four kilometres of elevated sections. The system also contains 3.5 kilometres of underpasses. BRT Peshawar is also complemented by a feeder system, with an additional 100 stations along those feeder lines.


Intercity bus

Peshawar is well-served by private buses (locally referred to as "flying coaches") and vans that offer frequent connections to throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as all major cities of Pakistan. The city's Daewoo Express bus terminal is located along the
G.T. Road The Grand Trunk Road (formerly known as Uttarapath, Sarak-e-Azam, Shah Rah-e-Azam, Badshahi Sarak, and Long Walk) is one of Asia's oldest and longest major roads. For at least 2,500 years it has linked Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent. ...
adjacent to the departure points for several other transportation companies.


Administration


Civic government


Politics

Peshawar has historically served as the political centre of the region, and is currently the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The city and province have been historically regarded to be strongholds of the
Awami National Party The Awami National Party (ANP; ur, , ps, اولسي ملي ګوند; lit. ''People's National Party'') is a Pashtun nationalist, secular and leftist political party in Pakistan. The party was founded by Abdul Wali Khan in 1986 and its curr ...
– a secular left-wing and moderate-nationalist party. The
Pakistan Peoples Party The Pakistan People's Party ( ur, , ; PPP) is a centre-left, social-democratic political party in Pakistan. It is currently the third largest party in the National Assembly and second largest in the Senate of Pakistan. The party was founded ...
had also enjoyed considerable support in the province due to its socialist agenda. Despite being a centre for leftist politics in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar is still generally known throughout Pakistan for its social conservatism. Sunni Muslims in the city are regarded to be socially conservative, while the city's Shia population is considered to be more socially liberal. A plurality of voters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, of which Peshawar is the capital, elected one of Pakistan's only religiously-based provincial governments during the period of military dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf. A ground-swell of anti-American sentiment after the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan contributed to the Islamist coalition's victory. The Islamists introduced a range of social restrictions following the election of the Islamist
Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal The Muttahida Majlis–e–Amal (MMA; Urdu: , "United Council of Action") is a political alliance consisting of conservative, Islamist, religious, and far-right parties of Pakistan. Naeem Siddiqui (the founder of Tehreek e Islami) proposed suc ...
coalition in 2002, though Islamic Shariah law was never fully enacted. Restrictions on public musical performances were introduced, as well as a ban prohibiting music to be played in any public places, including on public transportation – which lead to the creation of a thriving underground music scene in Peshawar. In 2005, the coalition successfully passed the "Prohibition of Use of Women in Photograph Bill, 2005," leading to the removal of all public advertisements in Peshawar that featured women. The religious coalition was swept out of power by the secular and leftist
Awami National Party The Awami National Party (ANP; ur, , ps, اولسي ملي ګوند; lit. ''People's National Party'') is a Pashtun nationalist, secular and leftist political party in Pakistan. The party was founded by Abdul Wali Khan in 1986 and its curr ...
in elections after the fall of Musharraf in 2008, leading to the removal of the MMA's socially conservative laws. 62% of eligible voters voted in the election. The Awami National Party was targeted by Taliban militants, with hundreds of its members having been assassinated by the Pakistani Taliban. In 2013, the centrist
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI; ur, , ) is a political party in Pakistan. It was founded in 1996 by Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who served as the country's prime minister from 2018 to 2022. The PTI is one of the thre ...
was elected to power in the province on an anti-corruption platform. Peshawar city recorded a voter turnout of 80% for the 2013 elections.


Municipal services

86% of Peshawar's households have access to municipal piped water as of 2015, though 39% of Peshawar's households purchase water from private companies in 2015. 42% of Peshawar households are connected to municipal sewerage as of 2015.


Culture


Music

After the 2002 Islamist government implemented restrictions on public musical performances, a thriving underground music scene took root in Peshawar. After the start of Pakistan's Taliban insurgency in 2007–2008, militants began targeting members of Peshawar's cultural establishment. By 2007, Taliban militants began a widespread campaign of bombings against music and video shops across the Peshawar region, leading to the closure of many others. In 2009, Pashto musical artist
Ayman Udas Aiman Udas was a singer and songwriter in Peshawar, Pakistan. Udas had frequently performed on PTV television and AVT Khyber a private pashto channel in Pakistan. Her first song that she performed was ''Zma da mene na toba da bya ba nakon mena'' ...
was assassinated by Taliban militants on the city's outskirts. In June 2012, a Pashto singer,
Ghazala Javed Ghazala Javed ( ps, ; 1 January 1988 – 18 June 2012) was a Pashtun playback singer from Swat Valley, Pakistan. She began singing since 2004 and was "popular with young, progressive ethnic Pashtun people, Pashtuns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Her mus ...
, and her father were killed in Peshawar, after they had fled rural Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the relative security of Peshawar. Musicians began to return to the city by 2016, with a security environment greatly improved following the
Operation Zarb-e-Azb Operation Zarb-e-Azb (Pashto/ ur, ALA-LC: ) was a joint military offensive conducted by the Pakistan Armed Forces against various militant groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Eas ...
in 2014 to eradicate militancy in the country. The provincial government in 2016 announced a monthly income of $300 to 500 musicians in order to help support their work, as well as a $5 million fund to "revive the rich cultural heritage of the province".


Museums

The
Peshawar Museum The Peshawar Museum ( ur, پشاور میوزیم ''(colloquial)''; پشاور عجائب گھر ''(official)'') is a museum located in Peshawar, capital of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Peshawar Museum is notable for its colle ...
was founded in 1907 in memory of Queen Victoria. The building features an amalgamation of British, South Asian, Hindu, Buddhist and
Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...
Islamic architectural styles. The museum's collection has almost 14,000 items, and is well known for its collection of
Greco-Buddhist art The Greco-Buddhist art or Gandhara art of the north Indian subcontinent is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural syncretism between Ancient Greek art and Buddhism. It had mainly evolved in the ancient region of Gandhara. The s ...
. The museum's ancient collection features pieces from the
Gandhara Gandhāra is the name of an ancient region located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely in present-day north-west Pakistan and parts of south-east Afghanistan. The region centered around the Peshawar Vall ...
n,
Kushan The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, i ...
,
Parthian Parthian may be: Historical * A demonym "of Parthia", a region of north-eastern of Greater Iran * Parthian Empire (247 BC – 224 AD) * Parthian language, a now-extinct Middle Iranian language * Parthian shot, an archery skill famously employed by ...
, and Indo-Scythian periods.


Notable people


Education

Numerous educational institutes — schools, colleges and universities — are located in Peshawar. 21.6% of children between the ages of 5 and 9 were not enrolled in any school in 2013, while 16.6% of children in the 10 to 14 age range were out of school. Currently, Peshawar has universities for all major disciplines ranging from Humanities,
General Sciences A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED O ...
, Sciences, Engineering, Medical, Agriculture and
Management Sciences Management science (or managerial science) is a wide and interdisciplinary study of solving complex problems and making strategic decisions as it pertains to institutions, corporations, governments and other types of organizational entities. It is ...
. The first public sector university,
University of Peshawar The University of Peshawar ( ps, د پېښور پوهنتون; hnd, پشور یونیورسٹی; ur, ; abbreviated UoP; known more popularly as Peshawar University) is a Public university, public research university located in Peshawar, Khy ...
(UOP) was established in October 1950 by the first Prime Minister of Pakistan.
University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar The University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar (UET Peshawar), formerly known as NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, is a public university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Formerly known as ''NWFP University ...
was established in 1980 while Agriculture University Peshawar started working in 1981. The first private sector university
CECOS University of IT and Emerging Sciences CECOS University of IT and Emerging Sciences is a private university in Peshawar, Pakistan. It was established in 1986 by Engr. Muhammad Tanveer Javed as a small private sector institute named CECOS Data Institute with limited resources. Currentl ...
was established in 1986. Institute of Management Sciences started functioning in 1995, which become degree awarding institution in 2005. There are currently 9 Medical colleges in Peshawar, 2 in public sector while 7 in private sector. The first Medical College, Khyber Medical College, was established in 1954 as part of
University of Peshawar The University of Peshawar ( ps, د پېښور پوهنتون; hnd, پشور یونیورسٹی; ur, ; abbreviated UoP; known more popularly as Peshawar University) is a Public university, public research university located in Peshawar, Khy ...
. The first Medical University,
Khyber Medical University Khyber Medical University ( ur, , ps, د خیبر طبي پوهنتون, abbreviated as KMU), is a public research university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. while a women only Medical college,
Khyber Girls Medical College Khyber Girls Medical College ( ur, , ps, د خیبر ښځو طب پوهنځی) (KGMC) is the first public sector medical college for girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which came into existence in May 2004 as a female Campus of KMC Peshawar. It was d ...
was established in 2007. At the start of the 21st century, a host of new private sector universities started working in Peshawar.
Qurtuba University Qurtuba University (QU) was established in 2001. Qurtuba is Arabic variation of name of Córdoba, Spain, in Al-Andalus nowadays Spain.It has two campuses in Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar Pakistan from Both are separately recognized and are placed i ...
, Sarhad University of Science and IT, Fast University, Peshawar Campus and City University of Science and IT were established in 2001 while
Gandhara University The Gandhara University is a private university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is chartered by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It provides specialized training in the health sciences. The institutes that became Gandhar ...
was inaugurated in 2002 and
Abasyn University The Abasyn University is a private university located in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It was founded in 2007. Overview Abasyn university is chartered by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and recognized by the Higher Education Commi ...
in 2007. Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, the first women university of Peshawar, started working in 2009 while private sector IQRA National University was established in 2012. Apart from good range of universities, Peshawar has host of high quality further education (Post School) educational institutes. The most renowned are,
Edwardes College Edwardes College Peshawar is a semi-government degree The college's undergraduate and graduate degree programs lead to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), 4 year BS Programme in English and Computer Science, Master of Bus ...
founded in 1900 by Herbert Edwardes, is the oldest college in the province and
Islamia College Peshawar Islamia College Peshawar (ICP) ( ur, اسلامیہ کالج پشاور) is a public university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.Islamia College University in 2008. The following is a list of some of the public and private universities and colleges in Peshawar: *
Abasyn University The Abasyn University is a private university located in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It was founded in 2007. Overview Abasyn university is chartered by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and recognized by the Higher Education Commi ...
(Abasyn University, Peshawar) *
Agricultural University (Peshawar) The University of Agriculture, Peshawar (UAP; ur, جامعہ زرعیہ پشاور، یا زرعی یونیورسٹی پشاور; ps, د کرنې پوهنتون، پېښور), is a research university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pa ...
*
CECOS University of IT and Emerging Sciences CECOS University of IT and Emerging Sciences is a private university in Peshawar, Pakistan. It was established in 1986 by Engr. Muhammad Tanveer Javed as a small private sector institute named CECOS Data Institute with limited resources. Currentl ...
* City University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar *
Edwardes College Edwardes College Peshawar is a semi-government degree The college's undergraduate and graduate degree programs lead to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), 4 year BS Programme in English and Computer Science, Master of Bus ...
*
Forward Degree College Forward Degree College (abbreviated as FDC) (, ur, فارورڈ ڈگری کالج) is a part of Forward System which is started after the establishment of Pakistan in 1949 to fill the vacuum created by closure of Non-Muslim educational institute ...
*
Frontier Women University Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, previously known as the Frontier Women University, is located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It was formed as result of an order from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in 2004 and the university ha ...
*
Gandhara University The Gandhara University is a private university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is chartered by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It provides specialized training in the health sciences. The institutes that became Gandhar ...
*
Government College Hayatabad Peshawar Government College Hayatabad Peshawar is public sector college located in Hayatabad, Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The college offers programs for intermediate level, which is affiliated Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Pesh ...
*
Government College Peshawar Government College Peshawar is public sector college located in Zaryab Colony, Faqirabad, Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The college offers programs for intermediate level both in Arts and Science groups, which are affiliated with Board ...
*
Government Girls Degree College, Peshawar Government Girls Degree College is public sector college located on Hayatabad, Peshawar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The college offers programs for intermediate both in Arts and Science groups affiliate with Board of Intermediate And Secondary ...
*
Government Superior Science College Peshawar Government Superior Science College Peshawar is a public sector college located in Wazir Bagh Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The college offers programs for intermediate and degree levels in Science and Arts groups. The college is affilia ...
*
IMSciences The Institute of Management Sciences (also known as IMSciences) is a public sector government owned autonomous institution recognized by Higher Education Commission Islamabad and working under NWFP Ordinance No. XXXVII of 2002. The institute was f ...
(Institute of Management Sciences) * Iqra National University, Peshawar (formerly Peshawar Campus of Iqra University Karachi) * Islamia College University *
Jinnah College for Women Jinnah College for Women, ( ur, ) formerly the University College for Women, is an institute of education for women located in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. History The College came into existence as a constituent College of the Univers ...
*
Jinnah Medical College Jinnah Medical College Peshawar, Pakistan ( ur, , ps, د جناح طب پوهنځی) was established in 2002. It was recognized by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council on 16 January 2009. It is affiliated with Khyber Medical University, Peshaw ...
*
Khyber Girls Medical College Khyber Girls Medical College ( ur, , ps, د خیبر ښځو طب پوهنځی) (KGMC) is the first public sector medical college for girls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which came into existence in May 2004 as a female Campus of KMC Peshawar. It was d ...
* Khyber Medical College *
Khyber Medical University Khyber Medical University ( ur, , ps, د خیبر طبي پوهنتون, abbreviated as KMU), is a public research university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences The National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences (Initials: NUCES) ( ur, ), also commonly known as "Foundation for Advancement of Science and Technology" (FAST), ( ur, ) is a private research university with multiple campuses in dif ...
, Peshawar Campus (NU-FAST) *
Pakistan Forest Institute, Peshawar Pakistan Forest Institute established in 1947, locate in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Programs * BS Forestry (4 years) * M.Sc. Forestry Journal *''Pakistan Journal of Forestry (PJF) See also *Agricultural Training Institute, Peshawar ...
*Peshawar Medical College * Preston University *
Qurtuba University Qurtuba University (QU) was established in 2001. Qurtuba is Arabic variation of name of Córdoba, Spain, in Al-Andalus nowadays Spain.It has two campuses in Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar Pakistan from Both are separately recognized and are placed i ...
(Qurtuba University of Science & Information Technology) *
Rehman Medical College Rehman Medical College ( ur, , ps, د رحمان طب پوهنځی)(RMC), a part of Rehman Medical Institute, is a Medical College in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The college is associated with Khyber Medical University and is approved by ...
* Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology * Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University *
University of Agriculture, Peshawar The University of Agriculture, Peshawar (UAP; ur, جامعہ زرعیہ پشاور، یا زرعی یونیورسٹی پشاور; ps, د کرنې پوهنتون، پېښور), is a research university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pa ...
*
University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar The University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar (UET Peshawar), formerly known as NWFP University of Engineering and Technology, is a public university located in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Formerly known as ''NWFP University ...
*
University of Peshawar The University of Peshawar ( ps, د پېښور پوهنتون; hnd, پشور یونیورسٹی; ur, ; abbreviated UoP; known more popularly as Peshawar University) is a Public university, public research university located in Peshawar, Khy ...


Landmarks

The following is a list of other significant landmarks in the city that still exist in the 21st century: *General ** Governor's House **Peshawar Garrison Club – situated on
Sir Syed Sir Syed Ahmad Khan KCSI (17 October 1817 – 27 March 1898; also Sayyid Ahmad Khan) was an Indian Muslim reformer, philosopher, and educationist in nineteenth-century British India. Though initially espousing Hindu-Muslim unity, he ...
Road near the Mall **
Kotla Mohsin Khan Kotla Mohsin Khan ( ps, کوټلا محسن خان, Hindko; ur, ) is a historic gate located on Kohat Road in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is ...
– the residence of Mazullah Khan, 17th-century Pashtu poet ** Qissa Khwani Bazaar **
Kapoor Haveli Kapoor Haveli is a residential building in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan. It is notable for being the former home of one generation of the Kapoor family, a prominent show business family of India. The building was constructed before the partiti ...
Former residence of Prithviraj Kapoor – famous actor *Forts **
Bala Hisar Fort Bala Hissar, Bala Hisar or Balahisar may refer to: * Bala Hissar, Kabul, a fortress in Kabul, Afghanistan * Bala Hissar, Peshawar, a fortress in Peshawar, Pakistan *Bala Hissar, Mussoorie, a place in Mussoorie, India * Bala Hisar, Iran Balut Hesar ...
*Colonial monuments **
Chowk Yadgar Chowk Yadgar ( ur, ; ''“Memorial Square”''), formerly Hasting’s Memorial, is a famous landmark in the old walled city of Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a p ...
(formerly the "Hastings Memorial") **
Cunningham clock tower The Cunningham Clock Tower ( ur, کننگہام گھنٹہ گھر) in Peshawar, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, was built in 1900, "in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen Empress". The tower was named after Sir George Cu ...
– built in 1900 and called " Ghanta Ghar" *Buddhist ** Gorkhatri – an ancient site of Buddha's alms or begging bowl, and the headquarters of Syed Ahmad Shaheed, Governor Avitabile **
Pashto Academy Pashto Academy ( ps, پښتو اکېډمي) is a language regulatory institution based at the University of Peshawar in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan responsible for the standardisation, advancement, and promotion of the Pashto language in ...
– the site of an ancient Buddhist university ** Shahji ki Dheri – the site of the famous Kanishka stupa *Hindu **Panch Tirath – an ancient Hindu site with five sacred ponds ** Gorkhatri – sacred site for Hindu yogis **Guru
Gorkhnath Gorakhnath (also known as Goraksanath, c. early 11th century) was a Hindu yogi, saint who was the influential founder of the Nath Hindu monastic movement in India He is considered one of the two notable disciples of Matsyendranath. His followe ...
temple **Aasamai temple – near Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) *Sikh ** Sikh Gurudwara at Jogan Shah *Parks ** Army Stadium ** Wazir Bagh – laid in 1802, by Fatteh Khan, Prime Minister of
Shah Mahmud Khan Sardar Shah Mahmud Khan (Pashto/Dari: سردار شاه محمود خان – b:1890 d: 27 December 1959) was the Prime Minister of Afghanistan from May 1946 to 7 September 1953, under King Mohammed Zahir Shah's monarchy. He was from the Pashtun ...
** Ali Mardan Khan Gardens (also known as Khalid bin Waleed Park) – formerly named "Company Bagh" ** Shahi Bagh – a small portion constitutes the site of
Arbab Niaz Stadium Arbab Niaz Stadium ( ur, ارباب نیاز سٹیڈیم), formerly known as Shahi Bagh Stadium ( ur, شاہی باغ سٹیڈیم), is a cricket stadium in Peshawar, Pakistan and home ground of Peshawar Zalmi. It is owned by Khyber Pakhtunkh ...
**
Jinnah Park Jinnah Park () is an amusement and public park located on Airport Road in the high-security Chaklala Cantonment suburb of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. It is the town's primary amusement park and covers an area of approximately . Initial plans for i ...
– A park on GT Road opposite Balahisar fort **
Tatara Park Bagh-e-Tatara ( ur, , ps, د باغ تاتارا) is a recreational park located in Phase 1, Hayatabad, Peshawar. Tatara Park has been developed from a garden lawn with man-made lakes, into a theme park. See also *Shahi Bagh *List of parks and ...
– A Park located in Hayatabad **Bagh e Naran – A large park in Hayatabad. A portion of the park also has a Zoo. *Mosques **
Mohabbat Khan Mosque The Mahabat Khan Mosque (Pashto and ur, مہابت خان مسجد) ( hnd, مہابت خان مسیت), sometimes spelt Mohabbat Khan Mosque, is a 17th-century Mughal-era mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. The mosque was built in 1630, and named aft ...
**
Qasim Ali Khan Mosque The Qasim Ali Khan Mosque (Urdu, ); ( hnd, قاسم علی خان مسیت) is a 17th-century mosque in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Located in Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Mohallah Baqir Shah. The mosque was built during Emperor Aurangzeb's r ...
*Museums **
Peshawar Museum The Peshawar Museum ( ur, پشاور میوزیم ''(colloquial)''; پشاور عجائب گھر ''(official)'') is a museum located in Peshawar, capital of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Peshawar Museum is notable for its colle ...
*Zoo **
Peshawar Zoo Peshawar Zoo ( ur, پشاور چهڑیاگهر) is one of the largest zoos in Pakistan and the first ever zoo in Peshawar. It opened on 12 February 2018. It is managed by the Forests, Environment and Wildlife department of the Government of Khybe ...


Sports

There are hosts of sporting facilities in Peshawar. The most renowned are
Arbab Niaz Stadium Arbab Niaz Stadium ( ur, ارباب نیاز سٹیڈیم), formerly known as Shahi Bagh Stadium ( ur, شاہی باغ سٹیڈیم), is a cricket stadium in Peshawar, Pakistan and home ground of Peshawar Zalmi. It is owned by Khyber Pakhtunkh ...
, which is the International cricket ground of Peshawar and Qayyum Stadium, which is the multi sports facilities located in Peshawar cantonment. Cricket is the most popular sport in Peshawar with
Arbab Niaz Stadium Arbab Niaz Stadium ( ur, ارباب نیاز سٹیڈیم), formerly known as Shahi Bagh Stadium ( ur, شاہی باغ سٹیڈیم), is a cricket stadium in Peshawar, Pakistan and home ground of Peshawar Zalmi. It is owned by Khyber Pakhtunkh ...
as the main ground coupled with Cricket Academy. There is also small cricket ground,
Peshawar Gymkhana ground Peshawar Gymkhana Ground is a Club cricket ground located in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Overview and history Peshawar Gymkhana Ground is located adjacent to Arab Niaz Stadium in the vicinity of Shahi Bagh ...
, which is located adjacent to
Arbab Niaz Stadium Arbab Niaz Stadium ( ur, ارباب نیاز سٹیڈیم), formerly known as Shahi Bagh Stadium ( ur, شاہی باغ سٹیڈیم), is a cricket stadium in Peshawar, Pakistan and home ground of Peshawar Zalmi. It is owned by Khyber Pakhtunkh ...
, a popular club cricket ground. The oldest international cricket ground in Peshawar however is
Peshawar Club Ground The Peshawar Club Ground is a cricket ground in Peshawar, Pakistan, used for one Test match between India and Pakistan in February 1955. It staged first class cricket matches from 1938 to 1987. History of matches The history of first class cricket ...
, which hosted the first ever test match between Pakistan and India in 1955. The Peshawar Zalmi represents the city in the Pakistan Super League. In 1975, the first sports complex, Qayyum Stadium was built in Peshawar while
Hayatabad Sports Complex Hayatabad Sports Complex is a sports academy located in Hayatabad, Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. It was formally inaugurated after renovation by PTI chairman Imran Khan in October 2016. It is owned by the Gover ...
was built in the early 1990s. Both Qayyum Stadium and Hayatabad Sports Complexes are multiple sports complexes with facilities for all major indoor and outdoor sports such as
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, Field Hockey ground, Squash, Swimming, Gymnasium, Board Games section, Wrestling, Boxing and Badminton. In 1991, Qayyum Stadium hosted Barcelona Olympics Qualifier Football match between Pakistan and Qatar plus it also hosted National Games in 2010. Hockey and squash are also popular in Peshawar. ;Professional sports teams from Peshawar


Twin towns and sister cities

Peshawar is twinned with: *
Makassar Makassar (, mak, ᨆᨀᨔᨑ, Mangkasara’, ) is the capital of the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi. It is the largest city in the region of Eastern Indonesia and the country's fifth-largest urban center after Jakarta, Surabaya, Med ...
, Indonesia


See also

*
Peshawari chappal __NOTOC__ The Peshawari chappal ( ps, پېښوري څپلی, Urdu: پیشاوری چپل) is a traditional type of footwear of Pashtuns, worn especially by Pashtuns in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. The shoe takes its name from the city of Pesh ...
*
Peshawari turban Peshawari turban, also Peshawari patke ( ps, پېښوري پټکی) or Peshawari lungee, is the traditional turban worn in Peshawar and its surrounding regions. It is a two-piece headgear. One piece is a dome-shaped hard cap or kulla, generally ...
*
Karkhano Karkhano ( ps, کارخانو) is a market area located on the western side of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, near the Khyber Tribal District, which in turn borders Afghanistan. The market was established in 1985 has more than 4,500 shops ...
*
Kushan Empire The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, i ...
* Kanishka * Bacha Khan * Khudai Khidmatgar *
2014 Peshawar school attack On 16 December 2014, six gunmen affiliated with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) conducted a terrorist attack on the Army Public School in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar. The militants, all of whom were foreign nationals, compri ...
*
2020 Peshawar school bombing On 27 October 2020, at least eight people were killed and another 110 injured by an explosion during a class at Sheikh Rahimullah Haqqani's madrasa in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Five to six kilograms of explosives were used in the ...
*
Chapli Kabab Chapli Kebab or Chapli Kabab ( ps, چپلي کباب) is a Pashtun-style minced kebab, usually made from ground beef, mutton or chicken with various spices in the shape of a patty. The Chapli Kabab originally comes from the northern areas of Paki ...


References


Bibliography

*Ahmad, Aisha and Boase, Roger. 2003. "Pashtun Tales from the Pakistan-Afghan Frontier: From the Pakistan-Afghan Frontier." Saqi Books (1 March 2003). . *Beal, Samuel. 1884. "Si-Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World, by Hiuen Tsiang." 2 vols. Trans. by Samuel Beal. London. Reprint: Delhi. Oriental Books Reprint Corporation. 1969. *Beal, Samuel. 1911. "The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang by the Shaman Hwui Li, with an Introduction containing an account of the Works of I-Tsing". Trans. by Samuel Beal. London. 1911. Reprint: Munshiram Manoharlal, New Delhi. 1973. * Dani, Ahmad Hasan. 1985.
Peshawar
: Historic city of the Frontier" Sang-e-Meel Publications (1995). . *Dobbins, K. Walton. 1971. "The Stūpa and Vihāra of Kanishka I". The Asiatic Society of Bengal Monograph Series, Vol. XVIII. Calcutta. *Elphinstone, Mountstuart. 1815. "An account of the Kingdom of Caubul and its dependencies in Persia, Tartary, and India; comprising a view of the Afghaun nation." Akadem. Druck- u. Verlagsanst (1969). *Foucher, M. A. 1901. "Notes sur la geographie ancienne du Gandhâra (commentaire à un chaptaire de Hiuen-Tsang)." ''BEFEO'' No. 4, Oct. 1901, pp. 322–369. *Hargreaves, H. (1910–11): "Excavations at Shāh-jī-kī Dhērī"; ''Archaeological Survey of India, 1910–11'', pp. 25–32. *Hill, John E. 2003.

." 2nd Draft Edition. *Hill, John E. 2004.

" 魏略 ''by Yu Huan'' 魚豢'': A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE.'' Draft annotated English translation. *
Hopkirk, Peter Peter Stuart Hopkirk (15 December 1930 – 22 August 2014) was a British journalist, author and historian who wrote six books about the British Empire, Russia and Central Asia. Biography Peter Hopkirk was born in Nottingham, the son of Frank St ...
. 1984. " The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia" Kodansha Globe; Reprint edition. . * Moorcroft, William and
Trebeck, George George Trebeck (1800–1825) was born in Middlesex, England in the year 1800. He moved to Calcutta, West Bengal circa 1815 with his father Charles Trebeck and brother of the same name. George Trebeck, who was trained as a solicitor, was recrui ...
. 1841. "Travels in the Himalayan Provinces of Hindustan and the Panjab; in Ladakh and Kashmir, in Peshawar, Kabul, Kunduz, and Bokhara... from 1819 to 1825", Vol. II. Reprint: New Delhi, Sagar Publications, 1971. *Reeves, Richard. 1985. "Passage to Peshawar: Pakistan: Between the Hindu Kush and the Arabian Sea." Holiday House September 1985. . *Imran, Imran Rashid. 2006. "Baghaat-i-Peshawar." Sarhad Conservation Network. July 2006. *Imran, Imran Rashid. 2012. "Peshawar – Faseel-e-Shehr aur Darwazay." Sarhad Conservation Network. March 2012.


External links

* * {{Authority control Populated places in Peshawar District Cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Capitals of Pakistan Metropolitan areas of Pakistan Populated places along the Silk Road Populated places established in the 5th millennium BC 5th-millennium BC establishments Cities in Pakistan